BOND UNIVERSITY HONOURS ITS HISTORY

BOND University commemorated one for the ages today, with the unveiling of Founders' Corner.

Sculptures of Bond University's two founders - Alan Bond and Harunori Takahashi - were unveiled to recognise and celebrate their contribution to the establishment of the University, ahead of the institution's 27th anniversary later this month.

While the founders have passed, their families were present on campus, who had travelled from Perth and Tokyo for the occasion.

It was the first time Takahashi's widowed wife, Aki Takahashi (pictured left), had been on campus in 25 years. The occasion also marked the first time Bond's children - John Bond (pictured right), Craig Bond and Jody Fewster - had returned to campus since the passing of their father late last year.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull passed on a personal apology to Bond University Vice-Chancellor and President Tim Brailsford for not being able to attend the ceremony.

Brailsford says the life-size bronze statues won't tarnish for centuries and he expects they will become the campus centrepiece, and one day, a Gold Coast tourist attraction.

"Founders' Corner will become a new focal point of Bond; a meeting place for newcomers to the University and no doubt a popular photo opportunity on graduation days," says Brailsford.

"Without the commitment and support of both of these men to the establishment of this University back in the 1980s, it simply would not exist.

"Their dream of creating Australia's first private, not-for-profit university became a reality in May 1987.

"27 years, and almost 25,000 graduates later, Bond has established itself as a unique, independent presence on Australia's higher education landscape."

Regarded as Bond's greatest public achievement, the University was funded via a joint venture between Bond Corporation in Australia and Electronics and Industrial Enterprises (EIE) in Japan.

Both men were self-made and EIE's beginnings were as a small electronics company in Tokyo that expanded to become a dominant force in tourism and property development.

In 1991, EIE acquired Bond Corporation's share of the project. The development lands and the campus were subsequently passed into the control of a receiver/manager in 1992, acting for the principal creditor of EIE, the Long Term Credit Bank (LTCB) of Japan.

In 1999, the University acquired the land buildings from the receivers and managers and has continued to carry on the original vision of its founders.

The statues were created by Ballina bronze artist and sculpture David Mackay Harrison based on photographs of the two founders taken at the time of Bond's founding in 1987.

Founders' Corner also features a commemorative plaque weighing almost 100kg which features quotes from Bond and Takahashi on the opening of the University, with Takahashi's remarks noting the establishment of the University marked a 'historic new milestone in Japanese-Australian friendship and co-operation'.